Category: Misc

Background

I started making a JIRA plugin (in JAVA) and was bothered by the all the fluff that was needed and terrible documentation from Atlassian. All I really needed was to call the JIRA API and handle the JSON data returned. So, I whipped up a Chrome App in a couple hours.

Bootstrap and jQuery

Typically I avoid these if at all possible. Not because they aren’t great or anything, but because I consider them ‘shortcuts’ and find more value in doing everything by hand. In a previous project, getting rid of jQuery cut my package size in half. For this project, I decided to use both in the interest in pumping out a Proof of Concept as fast as possible.

The Source Code

This project is hosted on GitHub. Pull down the package and load in Chrome by enabling developer options and loading the unpacked package. Alternatively, use this Chrome App to load the App.

Calling the JIRA API

The user is shown a login page. The user enters the JIRA URL, like https://example-jira.atlassian.net/, and their username and password (note this will not work if you only use oAuth to login). When the user submits the form I make an AJAX call to the endpoint rest/auth/latest/session using Basic Auth. If the login is successful a dummy dashboard is shown, else an error message is display on the login form.

Screenshot

Getting Started

Step 1: Have a good data plan. Most ‘unlimited’ data plans are actually capped at 1 GB/mo or something like that. I have Sprint’s Unlimited buy up plan for $20/mo per line. No data cap!

Step 2: Get a tethering app. You can enable tethering on most smart phones but the service provider will bill you $20/mo for this and it is usually capped (even with my Sprint plan). I highly recommend PdaNet+. That is a one time purchase compared to a monthly bill, too!

Step 3: Setup the tethering app. PdaNet+ requires the app be installed on the phone and also a client program on your computer. Dead simple.

Step 4: Share your connection. It is really simple on Windows and I am sure a Mac or Linux variation exists.

Setup Explained

The unlimited 4G connection pulls 25Mbps down and 1.5Mbps up, plenty enough for me. That connection is shared via USB with my desktop. I then share that connection via ethernet (see Step 4, above). That ethernet line runs to my wireless router. From that, any device I connect to the router will use my cell phone’s internet connection.